The Chicago Bears are 3-1, and they got there on Sunday without their starting quarterback. Rookie running back Kyle Monangai carried 30 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-12 win over the New York Jets, the Bears' team site and CBS Sports reported.

Tyson Bagent started at quarterback in place of the injured Caleb Williams. Bagent completed 25 of 34 passes for 268 yards with one interception. Kicker Cairo Santos added three field goals, and Chicago piled up 492 yards and held the ball for nearly 43 minutes.

Chicago's defense dominated. The Jets managed only 157 total yards and went 0-for-7 on third down. Their only touchdown came in the fourth quarter on a 58-yard pass from Geno Smith to Isaiah Williams.

Monangai's day was the headline. A seventh-round pick in 2025, he was not expected to be a lead back. His 30 carries were a career high, and coaches said they just wanted to keep feeding him.

Here is the background. The Bears drafted Williams first overall in 2024 and hired Ben Johnson as coach in 2025 to build around him. Johnson came from Detroit, where he ran one of the NFL's most creative offenses. Wins with a backup quarterback show that the team's depth and defense have improved.

Chicago has not made the playoffs since the 2020 season. A strong start gives fans reason to hope that streak will end. The Bears play in the NFC North with Detroit, Green Bay and Minnesota, one of the league's toughest divisions.

Williams' status for next week was not immediately clear.

What we know: Chicago won 23-12 and is 3-1.
What we don't: When Caleb Williams will return, and how the offense will look when he does.